With the five trolls dealt with and the locations of their kin revealed, Kael and Gandalf were eager to press on. There could be other survivors in the nearby caves, and time was of the essence.
But then they looked at the small group of villagers, their faces still etched with the terror of their ordeal. They couldn't just leave them here.
"Kael," Gandalf suggested, his gaze soft with concern. "Perhaps you should escort the villagers out of the forest. I can handle the other trolls alone."
Kael shook his head. "There's no need for that." He turned toward the cave entrance and let out a sharp, sibilant hiss.
The cold, serpentine sound echoed through the cavern hall, sending a fresh wave of fear through the villagers. Their apprehension turned to outright terror as a colossal python, its body as thick as a barrel, slithered in from the darkness. Its immense form was more than large enough to swallow any one of them whole.
"Do not be alarmed," Kael said, his voice calm and reassuring as he saw their fear. "It follows my commands. It will not harm you."
Gandalf stepped forward to add his own assurances, which eased their panic slightly, though they still kept a wary distance from the great snake.
"The python will guide you out of the forest and to the main road," Kael explained. "From there, you are free to go wherever you wish."
"But our village has been destroyed," Edward, the young man, said, his voice laced with sorrow and confusion. He looked at Kael and Gandalf with desperate hope. "Where can we go? Please, Mr. Wizard, can I follow you? I can serve you, fetch your water… I'll be your servant, anything!"
The other villagers echoed his plea with their hopeful eyes.
Gandalf shook his head gently. "I am sorry, but the path ahead is fraught with danger. We cannot look after you."
A shadow of disappointment fell over the villagers, their brief flicker of hope extinguished. The future seemed a terrifying, uncertain void.
"However," Gandalf continued, his voice regaining its warmth, "after you leave this forest, you can follow the main road east, across the Last Bridge. To the west, on the hills of the Lone-lands, stands a great tower, a thousand feet high. That is the domain of Kael, the wizard. You may seek shelter there."
"Gandalf?" Kael looked at him, surprised by the sudden offer.
The wizard sighed, turning to Kael with a grave expression. "Their home is gone, and this land is no longer safe. Besides the trolls, Orcs may descend from the mountains to raid at any time. These dark creatures will show no mercy. If these people are to survive, they must journey west and find a power to protect them."
His gaze grew distant, as if seeing a future only he could perceive. "Dark forces are stirring, Kael. I foresee a time when all of Middle-earth will be embroiled in war. With a wizard of your strength stationed at Weathertop, it could become a sanctuary—a new haven to shield them from the coming storm."
"You give me too much credit, Gandalf," Kael said with a wry smile, but for the wizard's sake, he did not argue further. Besides, he doubted they would be willing to risk a journey of hundreds of miles to a place that held nothing but a single, ancient tower.
He looked at the anxious villagers, then led them to the treasure hoard. He filled their hands with gold and silver coins, enough to ensure they would never go hungry. The villagers stared at the wealth, dizzy with disbelief. The gold coins alone were more than they had ever dreamed of seeing.
"You have heard our counsel," Kael told them. "With this, you can start a new life anywhere. You can build boats and follow the Hoarwell River south to the kingdoms of men, or you can journey west to Bree, or to my tower at Weathertop."
He then armed them with swords and armor from the trolls' collection, giving them a fighting chance on the road ahead.
With all preparations made, Kael commanded the python to lead the villagers safely to the main road. He strictly forbade it from harming them, and to appease the gluttonous serpent, he had to promise it a feast. Trolls, he found, were not easy to carve. Even in death, their scaled hides were like stone, resistant to ordinary blades. He had to use Glamdring, the Foe-hammer, its magical flames blazing, to painstakingly dismember one of the trolls.
The great python, having swallowed a troll's arm, seemed content for the moment. It led the trembling villagers away, planning to return for the rest of its meal once its task was done.
Kael, however, was not finished. He carefully extracted the troll's nerves and its large, black heart, sealing them in glass jars he conjured from thin air. Trolls were creatures of darkness, turning to stone in sunlight. He was curious if their nerves could serve as wand cores, or their hearts as potion ingredients. He hid these macabre trophies with the rest of the treasure, intending to retrieve them later.
With the villagers on their way, Kael and Gandalf wasted no more time and headed for the next troll cave.
But this time, they found no good news.
Slipping into the second cave under the cover of Disillusionment Charms, they found only two trolls and a pile of gnawed bones. The captured villagers had all been devoured.
Upon seeing this, a cold fury ignited within Gandalf. His immense power shattered the charm, and he appeared before the trolls, his form radiating an incandescent rage.
"Kael, lend me your sword!"
Kael drew Glamdring without hesitation and tossed it to him. As the blade fell into Gandalf's hand, it erupted in golden flames, shining with the brilliance of the sun.
"Sunlight!" the trolls shrieked in terror. The dazzling light seared their flesh, their grey-green skin immediately beginning to stiffen and turn to stone. But the sword's light was not true daylight. While it could harm them, it could not petrify them completely.
Gandalf moved with the grace of a storm, swinging the flaming sword at one troll's ankle. The blade bit deep, cutting a fiery gash in its leg.
"Aaargh! My foot!" the troll howled in agony. It tried to stomp on the wizard, but Gandalf was too quick, dodging with ease and striking again.
The other troll, seeing its companion wounded, grabbed a massive log and swung it like a club.
"Expelliarmus!" Kael's voice cut through the cavern.
Before the club could connect, it flew from the troll's grasp, torn away by an unseen force.
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